Most recruiters will spend hours and hours reading CVs, so as you can imagine, they tend to get a little bit bored of reading the same old things…
“I am passionate.” “I like socialising.” “I have a good eye for detail.”
That’s why it’s so important to really think about the language you are using.
Some words just speak volumes.
Today, we’re revealing nine of them to give you a little inspiration…
1. Responsible.
In most cases employers will be seeking someone who is extremely effective and responsible on the job.
The word implies seniority, self-confidence and also your manager’s trust in you.
So for example, “I was solely responsible for setting up and managing Project X.”
2. Loyal.
It costs employers thousands of pounds to hire new staff members, so it’s understandable that they want to hire people who remain loyal to their employers.
If you have clear examples of when you’ve stuck around at a company even though the going got tough, don’t be afraid to talk about them.
3. Enthusiastic.
Your enthusiasm adds value to an organization because it shows that you would be willing to go the extra mile, encourage others to remain positive and that you will be extremely attentive in your role.
And back up your assertion by using other enthusiastic language throughout the CV.
(Everyone says they’re “passionate” so drop that now).
4. Leadership.
If you can talk about your leadership skills, this could really help to separate you from other applicants.
Even if you’re not applying for a managerial role, it shows that you’re interested in sticking around and progressing in the future.
5. Exposure.
The word “exposure” implies real knowledge, real experience and real commitment to something.
And it’s not just relevant to work experience.
Detailing items such as your exposure to volunteer opportunities, your exposure to digital media platforms or your exposure to local politics just helps to show how multi-talented you are.
6. Negotiate.
Having the ability to negotiate is extremely advantageous to every kind of role; not just sales.
- Customer services negotiate with clients.
- Social media executives negotiate with followers and fans.
- Administrators negotiate with suppliers.
It’s the kind of skill that impresses everyone.
7. Streamline.
Employers are always looking for ways to become more organised and more efficient.
When you can detail times that you “streamlined” processes, this shows that you can think on your feet, you cared about improving that business and that you’re confident enough to do it.
8. Cultivated.
Having the ability to cultivate new skills will show that you can and are willing to grow, learn and improve. Clearly, those are all impressive traits.
Having the ability to cultivate new results within a business will also show that you are continuously able to add new value into a business and essentially build something new that can benefit a company.
9. Industry-specific phrases.
Obviously, impressive skills and therefore power words will differ across industries, so before writing your CV you should do a little bit of research into industry specific language.
If the job advert states specific essential and desirable skills you should definitely try and fit these into your CV and cover letter at some point.
This will show that you are ready to hit the ground running and understand the lingo that your coworkers are going to be using on a daily basis.
I’ve got to admit, this will take some more extensive research, but it would be worth it.
Summary
Language is so complex and interesting. You’d be surprised how changing a word like “learnt” to “cultivated” or “passionate” to “enthusiastic” can change the impression you give off.
Recruiter Pro Tip Make sure you back up everything you say on your CV!!! Don’t just shovel in as many of these kinds of buzzwords as possible – you’ll get caught out during the interview when you don’t know what you’re on about. Also please, please try to steer clear of these 10 dreadful clichés (they are meaningless).
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Good luck.
